Parameters
by Uber Swen
Summary: Starts after the season 4b premiere, but before the Queens of Darkness arrive in Storybrooke. This tale explores the ever-evolving and often complicated dynamic between Emma and Regina as they work together in search of The Author. Do we really need someone else to write our Happy Ending or can the path we choose lead us to our own? SwanQueen.


**Disclaimer:** The characters of Once Upon A Time belong to the powers that be at ABC and sadly not me (if they did SwanQueen would be canon). This story is purely for pleasure, not profit. I own nothing.

**Author's Note:** The rating will change as this story progresses and these hotties realize what their Happy Ending really looks like.

**Parameters**

by

**Uber Swen**

* * *

**Chapter 1. A Visitor Comes Calling **

* * *

**_Is Henry in bed?_**

Regina read over the text message again, brown eyes briefly flicking upwards to the time stamp before her thumbs flew over the touchscreen keyboard.

**_Of course he is. It's almost 11pm!_**

She looked at the words and sighed, realizing how abrasive her tone sounded, even to her own ears and lifted her head. Tired eyes drifted towards the gently crackling logs in the open fire as she smiled automatically at memories from the previous weekend and the surprising amount of fun they'd had helping Henry with his latest school project.

She looked back down and deleted her words before tapping out a new reply.

**_It's a school night and almost 11pm. Need you ask?_**

She nodded with approval as she read it back to herself. _Much better,_ she mused, wondering what Emma Swan could possibly want at such a late hour. The answer wasn't long in coming as the phone in her hand beeped almost immediately in response.

**_Hurry up and open the door, I'm freezing_**

Intrigue enveloped her as she eased off the sofa and on to her bare feet. She glanced down at her choice of evening attire and casually waved a hand over her body, a puff of purple smoke instantly replacing the comfortable lounge pants and long-sleeved top with the elegant pantsuit she had worn earlier that day. Her toes pinched uncomfortably within the restrictive confines of the high-heeled shoes so she reached down and slipped them off, placing the designer footwear beside the sofa before exiting the study.

As she noiselessly made her way to the front door she paused in the foyer and tilted her head, looking up the spiral staircase and listening for any sound or movement from the first floor.

Silence.

She smiled before continuing down the short flight of stairs and unlocked the front door, opening it with an odd mix of apprehension and curiosity. The greeting, however, died on her lips as her eyes locked on the figure in a form-fitting, dangerously short, black leather dress, bending ungracefully to retrieve two plastic bags and a red coat that lay propped against one of the pillar's on her front porch.

"Hey. Did I wake you?" Emma asked as she straightened and turned, her eyes taking in the brunette's immaculate appearance.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Contrary to popular belief Miss Swan, I do _not _sleep in a pantsuit."

"Oh shut up and let me in, I'm freezing," but before she could step inside, Regina held up an immaculately manicured hand, preventing her from entering the mansion, her brow furrowed in confusion. _"What?" _

Regina said nothing as her hand shifted position and pointed towards feet encased in luxurious suede heels that complimented the dress.

Emma sighed dramatically, kicking her shoes off haphazardly and nudging them over the threshold with red painted toes, conscious of Regina's disdainful gaze. "You're only making me do this because with those on I'm at least six inches taller than you," she huffed.

The brunette ignored her and reached down, lifting the shoes away before the blonde could kick them any further across the polished floor. "I will tolerate a lot…especially from you…but a blatant disregard for the craftsmanship of such elegant footwear, I will not," she chastised, pausing for dramatic effect as she placed them neatly beside the front door and then promptly took the red coat from Emma's hand and hung it in the closet. "You may be the Sheriff of this town and I may be the reinstated Mayor, but I will _always_ be Chief of the Fashion Police," she finished with a flourish and a haughty sniff as she turned and started walking towards the stairs.

Emma snorted, her bare shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter as she eased the front door shut with her foot. "You've been watching The Devil Wears Prada again, haven't you?" she teased, basking in the easy, familiar banter between them that had developed over the past few weeks.

Regina suddenly stopped and turned. "Someone's got to keep you on your toes," she quipped, glancing down at Emma's bare feet before adding smugly, _"literally."_

* * *

Emma dropped the bags on to the kitchen island, wincing at the sound of bottles clinking loudly against one another. _"Sorry,"_ she whispered apologetically, fearful the noise would echo through the house and rouse Henry.

Regina shook her head at the clumsy blonde as she leaned across the counter, resting her elbows on the surface and casually laced her fingers together underneath her chin. "That better not be Root Beer," she warned playfully.

Emma shook her head. "Please. Would I dare show up on your doorstep at this time of night with Root Beer?"

The arching of a single eyebrow and tilting of a head was her only response.

"Exactly. I think I know your _refined _tastes a little better than that by now," she replied, reaching into the bag and producing two bottles of wine and handing them over for inspection.

She suppressed a smirk at the faint nod of approval and followed Regina's movements around the kitchen as she retrieved two wine glasses and lifted the bottle of red before waving her hand over the corked top and making it magically disappear.

"Show off."

Regina smiled as she poured the fragrant bouquet evenly into both glasses. "What else did you bring?" she asked, indicating the other bag as she handed Emma her drink, biting back a barb about kale salad.

"Apple Turnovers."

All movement stopped as startled dark eyes instantly lifted and locked on mischievously sparkling emerald orbs.

"Relax," Emma prompted, accepting her glass and gently tapping them together as she deftly pulled the square container out of the bag with her free hand and flipped open the lid. "It's cheesecake - goes well with the vintage."

Regina let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and took a slow, steadying sip of the fruity wine, savoring the flavor, her eyes never leaving those across from her. "Not funny," she growled.

Emma just grinned at her as she took a long swallow of her own wine, humming with approval at the taste, enjoying the feeling of finally being relaxed.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date with your posing pirate?" Regina asked nonchalantly.

And just like that, reality crashed over Emma Swan faster than a curse rolling down Main Street.

Regina watched as the cocky grin faded and shoulders visibly sagged under the weight of a blanket of unease that suddenly settled around the woman in front of her. She lifted the bottle and her glass before slowly moving towards the silent blonde and leaning in slightly. "You know where everything is, plate that calorific carb creation up and meet me in the study when you're ready," she said in a gentle tone, hoping the humor and gesture of a moment alone would be enough encouragement.

* * *

Logs crackled in the fireplace as Regina surveyed the dimly lit room and settled back into her previous position on the large, comfortable sofa in her mostly uncomfortable pantsuit. She lifted the discarded throw she had been using earlier and folded it loosely before placing it on the center cushion. Her mind drifting to the blonde in her kitchen, wondering why such an innocent question had provoked such a strong reaction. A sad one at that. Emma had seemed almost defeated. Ever since the woman had offered to help find The Author and be part of Operation Mongoose their dynamic had shifted noticeably. Or had it? She reached for her glass on the table and swirled the ruby liquid around a few times, her eyes staring blankly into the darkened depths.

"You're supposed to drink it, not hypontize it."

Without acknowledging the intrusion Regina licked her parted lips and raised the glass upwards, briefly closing her eyes as she swallowed and considered her response.

Emma closed the door and crossed to the sofa, carefully balancing a plate laden with a generous slice of cheesecake in one hand and her glass of wine and cell phone in the other. She placed the dessert on the low table in front of Regina and eased past, opting to move the throw to the side and sit on the middle cushion beside her.

Regina put her wine back on the table and turned to the seated figure. "One plate?"

"Two forks," Emma retorted quickly, revealing the utensils she had tucked into the shoelace on the inside of her left wrist.

Long dark hair shook gently as Regina bobbed her head in amusement. "Ah. So that's the real reason you wear that," she scoffed, trying to keep the mood light.

Emma shrugged, squinting at Regina's rigid posture and smiled knowingly. "You can change back now."

"I'm sure I don't know what you could possibly be referring to," she replied aloofly, plucking idly at an invisible piece of lint on the sleeve of her jacket.

A slender finger pointed towards an open book lying face down on the table where dark framed reading glasses sat on top before shifting and stroking the soft material of the fleece throw. "There is absolutely no way you would wear Armani underneath this," Emma quipped knowingly.

The response was immediate. "It's _Donna Karan_," she huffed indignantly, "But you're right," she reluctantly agreed as she waved her hand and released her magic to reveal her original, casual ensemble.

Emma laughed triumphantly. "You need to teach me how to do that, it would make my life so much easier," she whined, slumping back in her seat, wishing her life really could be that simple.

Regina reached for her glass and settled comfortably into the corner, her eyes traveling over Emma wondering how to approach the elephant in the room that had evidently followed them from the kitchen. She noticed her playing nervously with the stem of her glass and decided to tackle whatever it was cautiously. "Emma?"

Shoulders sagged and loose curls bounced slightly as Emma nodded her head in response. She placed her glass on the table and smoothed out the creases in her short dress as she turned her gaze towards Regina, suddenly feeling over dressed and underwhelmed by her own behavior. "Could you…y'know?" she motioned with her hands over herself, hoping the dark haired woman knew what she was trying to say.

"Just imagine what you want to be wearing, okay?" Regina instructed softly.

Emma nodded, closing her eyes in deep concentration.

"And if I see even a _hint_ of red leather I will not hesitate to throw it on the fire. Understood?" she added sardonically, smiling at the desired result as Emma choked back a snort of unexpected laughter. "Good. Ready?" she asked, waiting for confirmation before waving her hand over Emma's form. Purple smoke cleared revealing dark sweatpants and a white baseball shirt with navy sleeves. She waited a few seconds before catching the other woman's eyes. "Better?"

Emma sighed, "It's a start."

"Emma," Regina began again tentatively, not wanting the younger woman to feel forced into revealing what was troubling her, but at the same time needing her to know she could if she wanted to. "You show up here, late at night, when you're supposed to be out with _Captain Greasy_…bearing food and fine wine…wearing a stunning dress…" she faltered, searching for the right words before gentling her tone even further. "I know we're both trying to figure out the parameters of our new friendship, but if you need to talk to someone…" she trailed off quietly, not quite knowing how to articulate the rest of what she wanted to say, feeling uncharacteristically awkward. Instead of continuing, she reached for the plate and lifted a fork, carefully breaking off a small piece of the dessert and moving it towards her mouth.

Emma watched the movement of the fork and reached for her own, mulling over Regina's words as she shifted closer and sliced a piece for herself. She tasted it and hummed in approval, much like she had with the wine. "You thought my dress was stunning?" she asked in a small voice, not quite believing the unexpected compliment.

The dark haired woman exhaled loudly and shook her head. "That's all you got from that? I was trying to be _nice_. Do you know how hard it is for me to be _nice_? I used to be The Evil Queen, Emma – the clue's in the title," she huffed with exasperation as she all but attacked the cheesecake with her fork for another piece.

A strong hand gripped the plate and lifted it away, moving the defenceless dessert out of reach. "That was in the past, that isn't who you are now. You haven't been her for a very long time," Emma admonished calmly, watching the woman closely. She settled the plate on her lap and sighed wearily. "I brought that dress back from New York, I only wore it once," she shuddered involuntarily at the memory. "I also discovered this," she indicated the cheesecake. "Original New York recipe, Granny makes it for me and keeps one on standby," she added, motioning for Regina to take another piece.

A few moments passed and a comfortable silence fell between them as they both chewed thoughtfully, neither in a hurry to move the conversation along. They had both realized it was all about trust and knowing when to push and when to let go. Once the power plays between them had been removed, there really was very little left to disagree on, which surprised them both, and frightened them both, but neither woman was fully ready to face the implications of that one just yet.

"You have an enviable figure Emma, you should expand your fashion horizons more often…there's more to life than denim and leather," Regina mocked gently.

Emma appreciated the levity and seemingly genuine appraisal of her appearance and grinned. "Me without denim and leather is like you without the power suits - it's unthinkable," she replied as she reached for her glass of wine and held it aloft. "To our own unique brand of armor, long may it protect us," she toasted, clinking their glasses together.

Reluctant to probe the reason for her visit again so soon, Regina opted for safer ground, hoping to satisfy her own curiosity about something that had always troubled her about New York. She absently flaked a few biscuit crumbs off the base of the cheesecake and gathered them on her fork, crunching thoughtfully as she contemplated her next words carefully.

Emma could see the wheels turning and was about to call her on it when the ringing of a cell phone suddenly shattered the silence. They both looked at the device on the table as Emma gingerly reached for it.

"I'll just go get us more cheesecake," Regina offered after seeing the caller display. She stood quickly, wanting to give the other woman some privacy, but a firm hand grasped her forearm, halting her movements.

Emma rejected the call, switched the phone to silent and placed it back on the table. "I have nothing to say to him," she assured the older woman, encouraging her to sit back down.

Before Regina could do as instructed, the phone began to vibrate across the smooth surface. She pointed at it and smiled. "If nothing else, the pirate is persistent, I suspect he'll keep calling until you answer," she advised gently, knowing it was true.

Emma relinquished her grip and reached for the phone once more, but before she accepted the call she locked eyes with Regina. "You don't have to leave."

"I'll ju-"

Emma quickly cut her off. _"Please?"_

Regina acquiesced and sat back down, watching as Emma took a deep, calming breath and finally answered the call.

"Hook. I have nothing more to say to you," she said, by way of greeting.

Regina focused her attention on the burning logs in the fireplace, trying hard not to listen to their conversation and lasting all of three seconds.

_"Love, I'm sorry, I had too much to drink, wandering hand and all that, but we are supposed to be together, it's what couples do."_

Emma balled her free hand into a fist. "It's what _consenting_ couples do and I don't remember giving you permission to _come aboard,"_ she spat angrily into the receiver.

Regina immediately stiffened and shifted her gaze to the agitated blonde beside her, automatically reaching for the clenched fist and holding it gently, desperately trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside the other woman.

_"Swan, a captain never needs permission to board his own vessel,"_ Hook drawled drunkenly through the phone line.

Emma's jaw dropped open, disgust clearly marking her features knowing Regina had also heard his derogatory remarks. She inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly before speaking. "If you _ever_ refer to me as a piece of property again I will cut off your other hand with the rustiest blade I can find. Do _not_ call me again. Do _not_ speak to me again. Do _not_ look at me again. _Got it?_!" she growled in a dangerously low tone.

_"Well, that just leaves touching…I like how your mind works, Swa- AAAAARRRGGHHH!" _

His words cut off abruptly, replaced by a surprisingly girlish shriek followed swiftly by an ominously loud thud.

Emma pressed the phone closer to her ear, hearing nothing but static and turned to Regina, the puzzlement on her face quickly morphing into one of realization as she noticed the look of unmistakeable satisfaction plastered across the other woman's face. "What did you do?"

Silence.

"Regina?"

Regina gave Emma's balled fist one last squeeze before she released it and reached for her glass of wine. "Well, clearly the pirate forgot how dangerous it can be using a cell phone near a highly volatile power source," she replied innocently.

Emma narrowed her eyes in confusion. _"Power source?"_

Regina beamed openly as she waggled the fingers of her free hand. "Of the most _volatile_ kind," she clarified, pleased to see understanding flash across Emma's features.

Emma laughed out loud, slapping Regina firmly on the thigh. "_Seriously?_ That is EPIC!" she squealed, unable to contain her delight.

_"Sshh. You'll wake Henry!"_ Regina scolded, motioning with her head towards the ceiling, prompting the blonde to cover her mouth with her hand in an effort to suppress the laughter.

Emma finally calmed and wiped away a few stray tears, hoping Regina would think they were due to her outburst. If only Regina wasn't so adept at reading the shifts in her mood though and they both knew it. Emma sobered, a look of panic, washing over her. "You didn't kill him, did you?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm a _reformed_ Evil Queen, remember?" she replied indignantly before reluctantly adding, "He'll wake up sometime tomorrow...or the day after."

Emma smiled at her, lifting her long forgotten glass of wine and draining the contents in one long swallow. "Well..um...I should get going…it's after midnight and I've kept you up long enough," she declared somewhat hesitantly.

Brown eyes glanced away at the unexpected announcement, registering the time on the clock over the mantel. She didn't want their evening to end and sensed Emma felt the same way, but wasn't sure how to voice her thoughts. Instead she finished the contents of her own glass and placed it on the table before indicating for the younger woman to stand. "Did you drive here?" she asked, unable to recall if she had seen the yellow Bug outside her house.

"No. I walked from Granny's."

Regina looked down at Emma's bare feet and smiled. "All that way in heels, I am impressed," she replied facetiously.

"Nu-uh. Don't even go there. How many people see you like this?" she asked, indicating her relaxed appearance. "All it takes is one little picture and your street cred, Madame Mayor, is destroyed," she said, snagging her phone off the table and opening the camera application.

Panic gripped the older woman, her eyes widening fearfully. "You wouldn't dare," she challenged defiantly.

"Wanna bet?" Emma sniggered, positioning the device to take a picture, but as she pressed the button, everything suddenly turned a familiar shade of purple and once the smoke cleared she found herself sitting on top of her bed back at the loft.

_"Shit."_


End file.
